Slurry metering pump



March 30,- 1965 D. FnnoHRER SLURRY METERING PUMP 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 5, 1963 DOUGLAS P. ROHRER BYa/y,}7 VM ATTORNEYS March 30, 1965 4 D. P. ROHRER 3,175,498

SLURRY METERING PUMP Filed Feb. 5, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 a O N 8 8 (0 in J 9' A Ll..

. E a. a g O O d' o L o O w ATTORNEYS Marh 30, 1965 D. P. ROHRER 3,175,498

SLURRY METERING PUMP File@ Feb. 5, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,175,498 sLY Marat; PUMP Douglas P. Rohr-er, Melrose, Mass., assigner to British Industries Corporation, Avnet-Shaw Division, Plainview, Long Island, NX., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 256,428 Claims. (Cl. 10S-37) My invention relates to a volumetric metering pump and in particular concerns a fluid operated volumetric metering pump. My pump is suitable for the pumping of large volumes of liquids containing solids and especially is adapted to pump and to maintain circulation of metered quantities of high density abrasive slurries.

Brieiiy my invention comprises a pump having a conned, sturdy, expandable, and contractible flexible elongated tubular hose element about which is clamped or rigidly secured upper and lower housing members characterized by recesses and restrictions. These housing elements when clamped in a mating engaging position divide the hose element into an inlet chamber, a delivery chamber and an outlet chamber. The hose element confined in the inlet chamber is subject to alternating cyclic relatively low and relatively high fluid pressures to effect the pulsating peristaltic-like expansion or opening and contraction or closing of the hose element within this chamber. This inlet chamber serves as a valve which is opened and closed by the application of fluid pressure. A pulsating relatively high pressure is also employed at the same time or shortly thereafter to the delivery chamber which pressure is less than that used in the inlet chamber. This pulsating action at the relatively high pressure closes the inlet chamber and forces fluid previously fed to the hose element under gravity or positive pressure conditions to be propelled in a progressive and pulsating manner from and through the hose element in the delivery chamber.

The delivery chamber has adjustable rigid plate members which are located externally of and adjacent to the hose element within the delivery chamber. These plates permit the permissive expansion of the hose element to be controlled when this chamber is being filled with the fluid lto be pumped and thereby provides a means to control or meter the volume pump during each pumping cycle. The hose element in the outlet chamber is subject to a relatively constant fluid pressure which pressure is sufficient to partially or fully collapse the hose element and which pressure is a pressure between the relatively low .and the relatively high pressure of the inlet and delivery chambers. The hose element in this outlet chamber is alternately forced open or expandedby the forward movement of the metered volume of uid in the hose element within the delivery chamber occasioned by the progressive collapse and squeezing action of the relatively high pressure within this delivery chamber. This action thereby provides for the discharging from the outlet charnber of a metered amount of fluid previously conned within the hose element of the delivery chamber. The hose element in the outlet chamber is contracted and closed by the action of the constant fluid pressure in this chamber when the inlet and the delivery chamber pressure is a relatively low pressure. At this time the hose element in the latter two chambers resume their natural resilient open condition and are filled by the tluid to be pumped during the next high low pressure cycle.

The metering of desired volumes of fluid in the hose element is accomplished by adjusting the position of the rigid plate members within the delivery chamber to eX- pand or restrict the permissive volume of till of that hose element. Movement of the plate members inwardly toward the hose element reduces the amount of permis- 3,175,498 Patented Mar. 30, 1965 ICC sive lill on the low pressure lling cycle and thereby yields a reduced metered quantity of lluid on the high pressure discharge cycle. Outward movement of the plate members that is away from the hose element to the limit permit-ted by the confines of the delivery chamber recess provides for maximum volumetric quantities to be filled `and dispensed from the delivery hose element. Thus, I have provided a fluid operated peristaltic-like volumetric metering pump capable of handling large volumes of viscous slurries and adapted to provide a pulsating metered adjustable volumetric flow of the slurry by the adjustment of the plate elements within the delivery chamber. My pumps find a special utility in circulating pumping and delivery systems wherein the slurry contains a high density solid particles in a low density organic solvent or aqueous medium, such as lthe ceramic slurries described in U.S. Patents 2,795,022 and 2,811,760.

t is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide .a fluid operated pump capable of pumping volumetric metered quantities of lluid.

Another object of my invention is to provide an assembly for the volumetric pumping circulation and dispensing of large metered quantities of heavy slurries.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent to those persons skilled in the art from the description of my invention taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a top plan view of my improved pump.

FIGURE 2 is .a cross sectional view along lines 2-2 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view along lines 3 3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an isometric view of a slotted bracket support.

FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 Iare schematic illustrations of my pump at various stages during a pumping cycle.

FIGURES 9 and l0 are schematic illust-rations of my pump in an operative assembly.

FIGURE ll is a schematic illustration of a slurry circulating and volumetric pumping assembly utilizing my pump.

FIGURE l shows a pump 20 which comprises in combination an upper elongated housing 22. and a lower elongated housing 24 securely fastened togethr in proper registry by a plurality of bolts about a tubular reinforced elongonated woven hose element 28 :having an open inl-et end 30 and an open outlet end `32.. The hose element 28 is characterized as a tubular passageway, th'e Walls of which are of suicient strength to withstand the pressures employed and which hose element may be repeatedly and alternately subjected to collapse upon the application of pressure and which has suiiicient resiliency upon the release of pressure to have the wall return to an expanded normal condition or at least to an open flow condition. For the purposes of my invention a woven reinforced tire hose has proved to be a suitable hose element. Each housing 22 and 24 is characterized by three recesses of substantial depth and volume, and four restricted recesses of less depth and volume, all of the recesses being suicient to permit the passage of the hose element 28. The housing elements upon being rigidly secured in mating engagement provide an inlet chamber 34 at the one end, ani ntermediate delivery chamber `36 and an outlet chamber `38 at the Aother end containing therein respectively an `inlet hose element 40, a delivery hose element 42 :and an outlet hose element 44. The hose element 28 has internally inserted therein four oval rigid steel supports 46, 47, 48, and 49 having a contour similar to but less than the restricted recesses to provide a fluid tight space between the internal walls ofthe chambers 34, 36Aand 38 and the external walls of the hose element Vwithin those particular chambers. These inserts serve to pre-vent the collapse of the hose element in the restrictedrecesses. The upper housing 22 is characterized byan inlet delivery and outlet huid conduits 56, 51 and S2 which provide fluid liow communication from aV source of pressurized fluid such as an air compressor not shown .to each respective chamber.

Rigid upper and lower rectangular plates S4 and 56 within the chamber 36 are disposed adjacent to and in a substantial parallel horizontal relationship to the external walls of the hose element 42 and to each other. Both plates are opposingly mounted about the hose element for inward' and outward Ymovement and both plates have the 'longer side longitudinally disposed along the center axis of the hose element 42. rl"he plates are rigidly supported `at each end by a pairof shafts S8, 59, 60, and 6l which shafts areslideably mounted for fluid tight reciprocating vertical movement within collars 63, 64, 65, and 65 threadably attached to theV plate members. Each shaft is rigidly fastened by insert screws to a plate at the one end While the .other` end has a guide pin such as a bolt and a nut combination 68, 69, 70, and 71 traversely passing through the shaft in `a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the yhose element "28. These` guide -pins Vpass through opposing vertical slots 72 and 74 in the vertical walls of four inverted U shaped support brackets 76 (see'FIGURE 5). F[hese brackets are rigidly affixed to the housing. The guide pins `also pass through a pair of opposingly angular disposed cam slots in an upper and lower cam bar 78 :and SG. Each cam bar illustrated comprises a pair of parallel Vhorizontally spaced bars secured at Ieach end. The cam bars 78 and 80 are therefore slideably mounted within the support brackets vand above the collar and on each guide pin for horizontal plate forward and rearward movement substantially in line with the longitudinal axis of the hose element 2S. Movement of the cam bar in thi-s manner permits adjustment of the vertical height of the guide pins and thus the' shafts and plate members depending upon the position of theY guide pin in thel angular slots of the cam bars.

The upper and'lower plate members Vin FIGURES 2 and 3Y are shown in an intermediate position within the delivery chamber .36, with the plates having a length and cross sectional surface area substantially the same -as or less than the hose element 42. However, as illustrated either plate above or below or alone or both may be repositioned within the delivery chamber bythe displacement of the appropriate cam -bars 78 and 8) in a forward or rearward horizontal direction. By proper positioning of the plates 54 and 56,the'volume of fluid permitted to enter and be discharged from the hose element 42 in the delivery chamber 36 can be readily adjusted` and controlled. `For example, manual or motorized movement of the cam bar 78 towards vthe right or the outlet end 32 of the hose element 2S will permit the guide pins 68 and 69 to be repositionedin the vertical slots and in the .cam slots to force the shafts 5'8 and 59 downwardly agai-nstthe plate 54, thereby moving the plate in a parallel downward manner to reduce the permissive filling volume expansion of hose element 42.'Y Conversely, movement of the cam bar 78 toward the left Nvill raisey the plate S4 by the Vvertical upward movement of shafts 58 and 59 occasioned by the repositioning of yguide pins 68 and 69 in the vertically disposed slot of the support bracket l76 and inthe cam slot.

a density of about 200'pounds per cubic foot. During thel filling time period which depends on the pressure head on the slurry ,and the viscosity of the slurry ythe hose elements 40 and 42 in the inlet and delivery chambers are under little or no pressure and in an open condition and are .filled with the slurry 90. The hose element 44 is subjected to a constant pressure somewhat greater than the filling pressure of the slurry such as for the purpose of illustration 20 p.s.i. of air admitted through conduit 52 which collapses hose element 44 preventing the passage of the iluid slurry 9o, during this iii-ling cycle.

When the delivery chamber is filled Ywitlrthe slurry 90 to the volumetric limit permitted by the adjacentplates 54 and 56 against the hose element 42 a liuid pressure greater than the pressure in the outlet chamber 38 such as 60 psi. of air is admitted through conduit into the inlet chamber 3&4V .to collapse hose element 4i) and to prevent the further introduction of slurry 90 and to seal a predetermined volume of slurry within-the hose element 42 as shown in FIGURE 7, which illustrates the sealing cycle. At the same time or shortly thereafter such fa's' from one to thirty seconds the discharge cycle is started'by the introduction of a fluid pressure less than the fluid pressure in inlet chamber 34 andgreater than the fluid pressure *inV chamber 38 such as 40 psi; of air into 'the inlet end of the delivery chamber 36 through conduit 51. This pressure progressively collapses the hose element 42 and squeezes and discharges the slurry 90 toward the outlet end 32 of the hose element 28 as shown in FIGURE 8. This slurry is impelled by a force greater than the pressure in the outlet chamber 38Y and, therefore, the slurry forces open Hose element 44 vand'is discharged in the desired volumetric quantity. Pressure is normally maintained'on hose element 4,2'for a period of time until the entire element has collapsed Vat which time the pressure in the inlet 34 and the delivery chamber 36 is returned to zero or permit-ted to vent to 4the atmosphere, whereby as shown on FIGURE 6, hose elements 40 and 42 are again filled with slurry and hose element 44 closed by the air pressure within outlet chamber 38 and the pumping cycle repeated. With the slurry` and the air pressures described, a hose element of 2 inches inV diameter and a gravity ll 'with a 2 foot hydrastatic head, fill times ofabout 2'seconds yr and discharge time of 11/2 to 2 seconds or a pumping cycle of about 4 seconds has been satisfactorily employed.

My pump has been described in operation in a horizontal position, however, when employed in a vertical poy sition with the outlet chamber downwardly disposed, the

inlet chamber is not required since the static head in the fluid to :be pumped will cause the hose element to close at the top first, when air pressure is applied externally to the hose element since the internal iluid pressure is higher at the lbottom than at the top. Further, although the pumping operation has been illustrated by the use of air, other fluids such as water, oil or other gases may be employed in a similar manner. For examplea liquid may I have found that the frictional forces of the guide pin Y in the camslot is suicient in most operations to inhibit movement ofthe plates during the subsequent pumping operationandthat therefore no locking mechanism of the cam bars -is required.

my pump with the inlet end 30 open to receive either by y .Y V A -schematic'illustration ofthe `operation of Vmy pump in shown in FIGURES 7,6, 7 and 8. FIGURE 6 illustrates 'jleaulsed in the desired sequence by a piston operated FIGURE 9illustrates one operative assembly Vutilizing my volumetric pump wherein compressed air of to 100 p.s.1;1s supplied to the inlet and delivery conduits 50 and Y 51 which conduits contain an adjustable pressure reducing valve 92 and 94, and electrical operative solenoid liow control valvest96 and `98'electrically connected to a multicam electric timer itl@ to provide vfor the predetermined timed cyclic opening and closing of these valves in accordance with the desired'pumping sequence. Air is also continually supplied to conduit 52 which contains an adjustable pressure reducing valve 102. ',Valves 96 and 98 may be three-'way solenoid valves lwhich permit venting of the chambers to the atmosphere through these valves,

FIGURE l() illustrates another operative yassembly wherein the inlet conduit hasV =a restricted bypass conduit V164 to the delivery conduit 51'. Y In this embodimentY the relatively high pressure of the air supply is kintroduced upon the opening of valve 96 by the actuation of the timer into the inlet chamber which collapses the hose element in this chamber. At the same time the air in conduit Si) is permitted to bleed through the restricted bypass conduit 104 to gradually increase the air pressure in the delivery chamber above that of the outlet chamber and thereby progressively collapses the hose element and dispense a predetermined volumetric puise of iiuid. This embodiment eliminates a need for separate valves 98 and 94 and will be particularly useful where slower pumping rates are permissive.

FIGURE ll illustrates my volumetric pumps in a circulatory system for heavy slurries. In this embodiment slurry 90 in a tank 106 is continuously circulated and pumped through a circulatory conduit 108 to inhibit the settlement of the solid material. The slurry within the tank is also agitated by a mixer 119. Three pumps serve to pump slurry from the bottom of the tank 106 to the circulation conduit 108. These pumps have their pumping cycles that is the iilling, sealing and discharge cycles arranged to overlap to provide a smooth continuous flow of slurry to the conduit 168. Additionally each pump is adjusted to provide for the dispensing of equal but sufficient quantities of fluid to main-tain the desired flow rate, by the adjustment of the plate members within the delivery chambers yof each pump. For example, the pumps can be arranged to have at any one time the condition as shown in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8. Volumetric metered quantities of slurry can `be discharged to a desired filling operation or mold pattern through a filling or bypass stations 112 and 114, each of which comprises a lilling conduit 116, by pump 20 in the conduit 116 With the plates adjusted to provide `for the desired amount of volumetric slurry till in valve 118 and a discharge conduit 120 leading to the mold. This assembly permits the smooth circulation of the slurry to inhibit settling and the dispensing of volumetric metered quantities of the slurry as desired.

My invention has been described and illustrated in and with certain preferred but non-limiting speciiic apparatus embodiments and modes of operation and at least some modification of it in detail ywithin the capabilities of a person skilled in the art upon his consideration of these disclosures are contemplated. It is intended to secure protection by Letters Patent of all these modifications within the spirit and scope of the appending claims to the broadest extent that the prior art permits. What I claim is:

l. A volumetric metering pump which comprises in combination:

an elongated housing member having an opening at the one end and the other end and characterized by a plurality of contoured interior restrictions delining inlet, delivery, and outlet chambers at the one end, between the two ends, and at the other end respectively;

an elongated reinforced tubular hose element disposed within and throughout the length of the housing member; support members within the hose element and at the restrictions to provide huid-tight chambers between the external walls of the hose element and the internal Walls of each chamber and to prevent the collapse of the hose element at each restriction; means to introduce a pressurized fluid into the inlet chamber between the external Wall of the hose element and the internal wall of the chamber;

means to introduce a pressurized fluid into the outlet chamber between the external Wall of the hose element and the internal wall of the outlet chamber;

means to introduce a pressurized fluid into the one end of the delivery chamber between the external wall of the hose element and the internal wall of the delivery chamber;

a pair of elongated ilat plate members within the delivery chamber vand opposingly mounted on either side ofthe hose element; and

means to adjust the inward and outward movement of the plate members substantially perpendicular to the iow of material through the hose element, thereby providing for adjustment of the Volume off material dispensed from the pump in each cycle.

2. The pump of claim l wherein the means to adjust the plate members includes: a pair of collars secured to the housing element; a shaft member mounted within each collar for slideable reciprocating fluid-tight movement, one end of the shaft member perpendicularly secured to a at plate member; a pair of support brackets secured to the housing and characterized by elongated slots in the walls thereof, the slots being substantially perpendicular to the ilow of material through the hose element; an elongated cam bar characterized by angular slots at each end thereof; and a pair of guide pins secured to the other end of each shaft member, the guide pin passing through the slots of the respective support bracket and cam bar vwhereby upon movement of the cam bar for- -ward or backward, the plate members are adjusted inwardly or outwardly to control the volume of material dispensed by the pump in each pumping cycle.

3. The pump of claim 1 wherein the housing member comprises an upper and lower elongated housing element secured in registry and characterized by oval interior restrictions and wherein the support elements are rigid oval elements of smaller size but similarly contoured as the interior restrictions.

4. The pump of claim 1 wherein the plate members are substantially parallel to each other and have a length and width substantially the same as the hose element within the delivery chamber.

5. A pump assembly which comprises in combination a volumetric metering pump which comprises in combination:

an elongated housing member having an opening at the one end and the other end and characterized by a plurality of contoured interior restrictions defining inlet, delivery, and outlet chambers at the one end, between the two ends, and at the other end respectively;

an elongated reinforced tubular hose element disposed Within and throughout the length of the housing member;

support members within the hose element and at the restrictions to provide fluid-tight chambers between the external walls of the hose element and the internal walls of each chamber and to prevent the col- Ilapse o-f the hose element at each restriction;

means to introduce a pressurized lluid into the inlet chambers between the externa-l wall of the hose elernent and the internal wall ofthe chamber;

means to introduce a pressurized fluid into the outlet chamber between the external wall of the hose element and the internal wall of the outlet chamber;

means to introduce a pressurized luid into the one end of the delivery chamber between the external wall of the hose element and the internal wall of the delivery chamber;

a pair of elongated llat plate members within the delivery chamber and opposingly mounted on either side of the hose element; and

means to adjust the inward and outward movement of the plate members substantially perpendicular to the flow of material through the hose element, thereby providing for adjustment of the volume of material dispensed from the pump in each cycle;

a source `of relatively high liuid pressure;

means to place the source of fluid pressure in fluid tlow communication with the means to introduce a pressurized iiuid into the outlet chamber including a. pressure reducing valve;

means to place the source of fluid pressure in fluid a .timer toY alternately introduce a relatively high pres- :sure intothe inletchamber.

K References `Cited the Examiner UNITED STATES PATE-NTS CarterV 137-569 X Hull` 'Y 10S-48 Meyers k103-148 X Lucas f 103-152 Sorg et al. l03'-3'7 X YIreland 222-318 X 2,902,936 9/59Y needle). 3,007,416 11/61 Childs. 3,039,309 6/62 Vesper et al.

5 FOREIGN `PATENTS 1,175,431 3/59 France. A, Refereeees Cited ey' eine Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 1,832,257 11/31 Stephens. 2,747,510 5/56 Von Seggernl 2,760,436 8/56 Von Seggern. y i 2,810,347 10/,57 Rippingiue. *15 2,816,514 12/57 Freese.V

Y2,827,853 3/,58 Bradley.Y

2,829,600 4/58` sveda. 3,013,575 1x2/61 Peissen. n3,016,840 1/62 n Frick.

LoUrS J. DEMBO, Primey Examiner. 

1. A VOLUMETRIC METERING PUMP WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION: AN ELONGATED HOUSING MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING AT THE ONE END AND THE OTHER END AND CHARACTERIZED BY A PLURALITY OF CONTOURED INTERIOR RESTRICTIONS DEFINING INLET, DELIVERY, AND OUTLET CHAMBERS AT THE ONE END, BETWEEN THE TWO ENDS, AND AT THE OTHER END RESPECTIVELY; AN ELONGATED REINFORCED TUBULAR HOSE ELEMENT DISPOSED WITHIN AND THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF THE HOUSING MEMBER; SUPPORT MEMBERS WITHIN THE HOSE ELEMENT AND AT THE RESTRICTIONS TO PROVIDE FLUID-TIGHT CHAMBERS BETWEEN THE EXTERNAL WALLS OF THE HOSE ELEMENT AND THE INTERNAL WALLS OF EACH CHAMBER AND TO PREVENT THE COLLAPSE OF THE HOSE ELEMENT AT EACH RESTRICTION; MEANS TO INTRODUCE A PRESSURIZED FLUID INTO THE INLET CHAMBER BETWEEN THE EXTERNAL WALL OF THE HOSE ELEMENT AND THE INTERNAL WALL OF THE CHAMBER; MEANS TO INTRODUCE AN PRESSURIZED FLUID INTO THE OUTLET CHAMBER BETWEEN THE EXTERNAL WALL OF THE HOSE ELEMENT AND THE INTERNAL WALL OF THE OUTLET CHAMBER; MEANS TO INTRODUCE A PRESSURIZED FLUID INTO THE ONE END OF THE DELIVERY CHAMBER BETWEEN THE EXTERNAL WALL OF THE HOSE ELEMENT AND THE INTERNAL WALL OF THE DELIVERY CHAMBER; A PAIR OF ELONGATED FLAT PLATE MEMBERS WITHIN THE DELIVERY CHAMBER AND OPPOSINGLY MOUNTED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE HOSE ELEMENT; AND MEANS TO ADJUST THE INWARD AND OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE PLATE MEMBERS SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE FLOW OF MATERIAL THROUGH THE HOSE ELEMENT, THEREBY PROVIDING FOR ADJUSTMENT OF THE VOLUME OF MATERIAL DISPENSED FROM THE PUMP IN EACH CYCLE. 